{ title: 'Courier and freeman. (Potsdam, N.Y.) 1861-1989, November 29, 1988, Page 1, Image 1', download_links: [ { link: 'http://www.loc.gov/rss/ndnp/ndnp.xml', label: 'application/rss+xml', meta: 'News about NYS Historic Newspapers - RSS Feed', }, { link: '/lccn/sn83031769/1988-11-29/ed-1/seq-1/png/', label: 'image/png', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn83031769/1988-11-29/ed-1/seq-1.pdf', label: 'application/pdf', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn83031769/1988-11-29/ed-1/seq-1/ocr.xml', label: 'application/xml', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn83031769/1988-11-29/ed-1/seq-1/ocr.txt', label: 'text/plain', meta: '', }, ] }
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LAST WEEK'S WEATHER Tues. Wed. Thurs Fri. Sat. Sun. Mon. Hi 34 35 .34 40 SO 65 44 VOL. 136 NO. Lo 24 14 22 20 22 34 38 37 Pep tr r&sn trsn 0 0 0 0.03r 0.15r A PARK NEWSPAPER COURIER & FREEMAN, (USPS 1SS-460) POTSDAM, N.Y.-TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29,1988 24 PAGES 'SupeT Sunday* kicks off holiday promotions. See story this week. 35 CENTS NOSE TO NOSE — Chartreuse, a green grass snake owned by Lysa DeThomas-Shields and her husband, James, and Alvah Aldrich, a Boy Scout from Canton, are nose to nose and eyeball to eyeball at a demonstration Monday night in Potsdam. Alvah seemed to know quite a bit about the slithery rep- tiles, and said he learned about snakes last year when his fifth grade science teacher got a snake in class. Green grass snakes are non-poisonous snakes, as are all of Lysa's snakes. (Thorn Pardoe photo) Slithery Pets Entertain Scouts BY THOM PARDOE ' ' What do you get when you cross two pythons, one boa constrictor, three small snakes, two turtles, an iguana and a rat with a gaggle of Boy Scouts? Just ask Lysa DeThomasjjShjeids^ ana Ret 1 husoarid, James. Cysa and James are troop leaders for Troop 16 in Potsdam. They spoke to three Scout troops at the Presbyterian Center Monday night about their strange collection of pets. \I like to ask people what they know about reptiles,\ she told the group of about 20 Scouts and jstherswhAlUniBi Ji^^^^^^^^^V^H^^S^^^^^^W^^^^H^W— — -_ — - ~*-- . .-- many people often confuse reptiles with amphibians, and are also often misled about the natures of such animals. \The big difference is in the skin,\ she said. She explained that while humans have a protective dead layer of skin, amphibians do not; they pro- tect their skin with a coating of mucous, she said. Reptiles, like snakes, she said, do have a protec- tive layer of skin that they shed about once a month. The first animal she showed the group was an eight-inch long ig- uana named Iggy. She said that while Iggy is small now, he could grow to be as long as six feet. But she also explained the only danger to a person from a lizard that big is really from his tail: the iguana uses his rather long tail as a whip to protect himself. She said that older iguanas are strict vegetarians. Next she displayed two young turtles; Woody and Duchess. Woody and Duchess, though, didn't seem to interested in the show and continually retreated into their jihells whenever they felt like it. The Scouts were very receptive to these animals, but they were waiting for the real stars of the evening: the snakes. Lysa first showed her smaller snakes, a green grass snake and two different kinds of garter snakes. A few of the Scouts weren't as ready to hold these little guys as as if they were a natural part of their environment. \People are always afraid of snakes, Lysa said, even though most likely the snake is more afraid of you than you are of it. \We look like the Empire State Building to snakes,\ she said. Lysa is an earth science teacher who on- ly recently became interested in herpetology, or the study of reptiles and amphibians. She said she was working as the nature lodge director at a Scout camp this summer when a friend at the camp dropped off the pythons and the boa and asked her to keep them in the nature lodge. She said he couldn't keep them any more and she has had them ever since. Lysa said she was always asked questions about the snakes that she couldn't answer. She said that finally, one young Scout told her, \For a nature lodge director, you sure don',t know much!\ Lysa said that at that point she began reading everything she could about snakes and reptiles. She said she found- it very fascinating,, especially since she had always studied rocks. Lysa and James plan to go to graduate school eventually, and Lysa said she hopes to be able to get her master's degree in herpetology. Finally, she brought out the big snakes: a Burmese python, a boa constrictor and a reticulated python that had to be kept in a cage. \He's nasty \ she said, Ai show in a kindergarten class. Many of the scouts enjoyed the big snakes, but a few steered clear whenever one of the eight to nine- foot long snakes ventured forth to smell them. Alvah Aldrich, a sixth grader and a Scout from Canton, seemed well informed about reptiles. He said he became interested in snakes last year when one of his teachers began keeping one in class. \1 just got attached to it,\ he said. Lysa even tried to feed the snakes a rat, but apparently they weren't hungry. She said that snakes usually eat only once a week. Most of the Scouts wanted to see the snake eat, but Lysa said that since rats raised in captivity are so docile and trusting, it is sometimes difficult feeding Fluffy the Rat to Alice the Snake. \I let Jim feed them,\ she said. Galvin Resigns SWDA Post BYDENISERAYMO OGDENSBURG - The recycling coordinator for the county, under increasing fire for the county's failure to start any recycling pro- grams, quit his job Monday, St. Lawrence County Solid Waste Disposal Authority officials con- firmed today (Tuesday). Gerard M. Galvin, who has held the post for seven months, submit- ted a letter of resignation Monday, saying that he has a chance to take a new job in the private sector. SWDA officials declined to com- ment on Galvin's decision to resign, refusing to say whether re- cent news reports about the coun- ty's failure to begin recycling pro- grams in Ogdensburg and other municipalities had contributed to Galvin's decision to quit. SWDA Executive Director Paul O'Connor said an SWDA press release on the resignation would be the only response from the authori- ty. The release said that Galvin cited \an attractive opportunity in the private solid waste field\ and . that he \wanted to act on it at once,\ as the reason for his resignation. Galvin said, in the resignation letter, that he \hopes to have a pro- ductive working relationship with SWDA since he will be having a continued role in local waste issues,\ the press release said. O'Connor said Galvin will be available tor consultation to assure projects that have already begun at SWDA will continue uninterupted. O'Connor said he, and assistant recycling coordinator Linda Mc- Quinn, will share the - duties originally assigned to Galvin until a replacement Is found. Robert Russell, the Ogdenburg representative on the authority, said he was not surprised by the resignation. \I am getting to the point where I'm not surprised by anything,\ Russell said. \I was not aware until yesterday afternoon (Monday) of the resignation. I was informed of- ficially.\ He said wherever SWDA's recycling effort goes from here, \it is Mr. O'Connor's responsibility. It is up to him what happens with the recycling program.\ Galvin worked as the recycling coordinator since April 1988 and O'Connor praised him for his work on the county-wide newspaper recycling efforts in the spring of 1988 and for assuming the leader- ship role in the Potsdam Recycling Demonstration Project. He also praised him for the management of the Environmental Quality Bond Act grant for recycl- ing, preliminary work on the Massena Recycling Project and for his participation in the proposed revisions in the SWDA recycling plan. The press release stated that the recycling budget at SWDA was at $30,087 when Galvin took over and beginning of 1989. Included in the budget forecasts was a projection that 10 per cent of the waste stream would be recycled by a combina- tion of SWDA, municipal and private haulers efforts. That goal translates into an estimated tonnage of 6,843 to be recycled in 1989, with the balance of the 61,587 tons to be landfilled in Canton, Massena and Ogdensburg. As an incentive, $20 per ton was established as a recycling tipping fee as opposed to the $50 per ton of other waste to be sent to the land- fills. The Ogdensburg Journal and Ad- vance News rapped the county SWDA's lack of progress in star- ting any recycling programs this past week, pointing out that the city of Ogdensburg still has no recycl- ing program of any kind, and that several towns like Hammond, Lisbon, Morristown, Colton and Pierrepont have launched their own recycling programs. was increased to $486,029 for the Man {Sentenced For Role In Thefts BY RYNE MARTIN CANTON - A former Clarkson University student has been ordered to make $2,000 in restitu- tion and perform 100 hours of com- munity service for his role in a str- ing of thefts at laundry rooms at Clarkson and Potsdam College last year. St. Lawrence County Court Judge Eugene L. Nlcandri also granted Edward Sinek, 20, former- ly of 917 Mendon Road, Pittsford, N.Y., a one-year conditional discharge for his conviction on five counts of petit larceny. Sinek had admitted he had serv- ed as a lookout while his brother, Charles, allegedly stole money from laundry machines at Clarkson University and Potsdam College. The St. Lawrence County Grand hd Iditd Eddd Sik County Lawmakers Approve $72.7 Million'89 Budget BY RYNE MARTIN CANTON - Cooperative Exten- sion supporters from the county's farms were successful once again Monday in convincing county legislators to increase their fun- ding to the organization. The county legislature also restored a full-time position in the Department of Motor Vehicles and added an allocation of $5,000 to the Hospice of Jefferson County, which serves residents in eight southern St Lawrence County communities, during Monday night's budget se^- *wr ' > i * - w u 11 , > );' i 11, v i - , i; i.»; i. • • •' ( u.Mnu .i>i»; uf 1111{ ):ir Ic.ujt* which ,'aiis mi- i >.in j)i>ivi»nl In- crease in the county-wide tax rate at true value. The county budget was approved by a 19-1 vote, with Ogdensburg legislator Carl Ashley casting the sole no vote. Legislator James Smith (D- Canton) warned legislators for the second year in a row that the coun- ty might have been better served by a larger tax increase. \I'm just concerned it is sooner or later going to catch up with us. I just think trying to run this tight a budget two years in a row could cause us some major problems down the road,\ Smith said, sug- gesting 1989 might have been a good year to build up the county's cash reserves. Approximately three dozen sup- porters of the various Cooperative Extension activities and one seeing eye dog lobbied county lawmakers to restore $26,000 to the agency's budget. Cooperative Extension had asked the county legislature for a $485,000 allocation in 1989. The county legislature's Agriculture Commit- tee had trimmed that request and recommended a $450,000 allocation to Cooperative Extension. The Finance Committee then chopped an additional $26,000 from that recommendation. development, offer an important resource for individuals attracted to St. Lawrence County, by the ex- pansion of Fort Drum and the con- struction of new prisons in the area, according to Debbie Kellison. \It is a very poor time to be cutting back,\ she told legislators. Judy Murphy said Cooperative Extension representatives had played a valuable role in assisting her in opening a fabric shop In Can- ton The fabric shop now employe two people who were previous!;, unemploved she added / • > :(',<;l:ii,ir •' ; ' .';• I'ulliir > i .inhml li»i\ .NUW'd tin ilu> county legislature to allocate $450,000 to Cooperative Extension. He noted the Agriculture Com- mittee had reduced the agency's orginal request by nearly $36,000. \I think that was quite a cut. I thought we had done quite a good job,\ he said. SevesaJLl^gislators grilled Lucille Gervais, the*agency's coordinator, on the impact the proposed reduc- tion in the county's allocation to Cooperative Extension would have on the agency. Legislator Betty Bradley ID- Potsdam ) questioned whether Cooperative Extension is duplicating other efforts being pro- vided in St. Lawrence County. Bradley, pointing to the agency's small business, development pro- grams, noted the county already funds the Office of Economic Development and the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce. \The question is how much can we afford. I'm wondering if we're missing the boat somewhere,\ she said, acknowledging the value of the agency's 4-H and agriculture programs. Legislator Ashley said the county lawmakers had to hold the line to protect county residents on fixed incomes. \I'm not against Cooperative Extensiq tion to allocate $5,000 to the Hospice of Jefferson County. He noted the jurislctionai com- mittee had rejected that group's in- itial request on the grounds that the county hadn't provided funding to Hospice of the St. Lawrence Valley, Inc. But he noted the Finance Com- mittee had added a $5,000 alloca- tion for the St Lawrence Valley hospice, while leaving the hospice serving southern St Lawrence County with no funding Th\ !PU!-,ld'u-»- \ o'.-' t '.K- ' •. I .I'V.ll.llaT ; I nlll'S i!,HU''ll Mil l Donald Smith (D-Loulsvill'e> oppos- ed the move. DMV Clerk The county board also voted to restore a clerk's position at the Department of Motor Vehicles. The Finance Committee, in a last minute move, had chopped an ex- isting clerk's post. Bennett Abrams (R-Massena) said the move was made because a number of legislators had walked in the Department of Motor Vehicles and seen people sitting at their desks with no work. But County Clerk Orin B. Thomas argued the elimination of one full-time position would have a detrimental effect on his operation. \I know what we are doing is working because there are no long lines. We have made a lot of pro- gress in reducing those long lines and complaints. We are a service oriented department,\ he said. The county legislature voted 13-7 to restore the approximately $15,000 clerk's position to the budget. Legislators Halpen, Donald Smith, Sanford, Bradley, Josephine Catanzarite (D- Massena), Abrams and LePage voted against restoring the position in the budget. county budget. The Finance Com- mittee trims the allocation to the agency, and then a large group of Cooperative Extension supporters successfully lobby the full board to restore that funding during the budget hearing. This year was no different. Cooperative Extension officials presented a well-orchestrated demonstration of support for the agency. Ten speakers urged the county legislature to increase its funding to the organization. Ronald Burns of the Black Lake Road, Ogdensburg, suggested Cooperative Extension's work with farms in precarious economic situations was helping to keep farms on the tax rolls, generating income for the county. The merits of the 4-H program were extolled by Jerry Peters of Gouverneur. \I can't think of a bet- ter way to spend my tax dollars than to put it into 4-H,\ Peters noted. \The 4-H staff are providing training to 300 leaders who in turn serve 1,000 club members. For every dollar we spend in this budget, we are getting $3 to $4 back,\ he suggested. The programs offered by Cooperative Extension, ranging from cooking to small business degree. His older brother, Charles, 23, of Pittsburg, Pa., was indicted for three counts of burglary, third degree, and 14 counts of petit larceny. Those charges are still pending in St. Lawrence County Court. Edward Sinek told,the court that he had not personally stolen money from four laundry rooms at Clarkson University and one laun- dry room at Potsdam College.* He said he had served as a lookout dur- ing those burglaries. The former Clarkson student has been working as a chimney sweep in the Boston area this fall. His at- torney, Charles Nash said Sinek plans to return to St. Lawrence County in January to resume his college career. Nash noted his client had acknowledged in the pre-sentence report that he had been naive in in Tne (county's Highway Department budfST.~~'r look and say, 'How much can we stand.'\ But Canton Republican William Sheridan, a member of the Agriculture Committee, urged the county legislature to increase fun- ding for Cooperative Extension. He noted St. Lawrence County has one of the highest unemploy- ment rates among rural counties in St. Lawrence County. \This county is the leading agriculture county in New York State. It's kind of ironic that we are sitting here quibbling over $25,000,\ he said. The move to increase the alloca- tion for Cooperative Extension to $450,000 was approved by a 13-7 vote. Two lawmakers, Donald Liv- ingston (R-Oswegatcnie) and Or- ville Miller (D-Ogdensburg) were not in attendance at the budget hearing. Legislators James Halpen CD- Madrid), Duana Carey (R- Stockholm), Rosemary Sanford (R-West Potsdam), Bradley, Ashley, Bennett Abrams (R- Massena) and Jean LePage (D- Massena) voted against increasing the Cooperative Extension alloca- tion. Hospice Funded t Legislator Robert Hayden (R- Gouverneur) introduced a resolu- i^^rs^T^w 1 •pen House Ring in the Christmas season at the Potsdam Public Museum's an- nual holiday open house on Dec. 4, from 2 until 4 p.m., with music, refreshments and new displays. Music at the holiday open house will be performed by the Crane School of Music's student wood- wind quintet and member of the faculty, with selections from the works of Cambini, Hindemith, and Prokofiev, and by Gretchen Morse, a student at Carne, as well as a Christmas jazz suite. Also, two new displays will be of- ficially opened. \Childhood Friends\ showcase dolls from the museum and private collections. \Through a Child's Eyes\ features images of Christmas, Hannukah and winter by students from the Lawrence Avenue Elementary School and Saint Mary's School in Potsdam, and the Campus Learn- ing Center of Potsdam College. Fairy tale dolls and books will also be displayed. The public is cordially invited to share in this holiday celebration at the Potsdam Public Museum. Ad- mission is free of charge, and holt- day refreshments will be served. The Potsdam Public Museum is located in the Civic Center, Potsdam. Tree Lighting Set Thursday The annual lighting of Potsdam's Memorial Christmas Tree will be held Thursday. The lighting and dedication of the tree by the Rev. William Cuthbert of the First Bap- tist Church will begin at 7 p.m. in the Civic Center parking lot, and will be followed by refreshments in the Potsdam Public Museum. Musical accompaniment will be performed by the Potsdam String Ensemble, directed- by Barry Blumenthal and featuring Potsdam High School students Dan Barouch, Ann Stoltie, Debbie Clark, Jennifer Craig, Janet Chin, Elizabeth Col- eman, Rajesh Suryandevara, Anne Del Borgo, Mary Theodore, Jason Shearer, Heidi Czerepak, Evan Krelder and Whitney Darmstadt. This group, which is currently rais- ing funds for a performing trip to Toronto, will play a variety ol music, including selections by Vivaldi and traditional Christmas songs. The Memorial Christmas Tree is sponsored by the Potsdam Business and Professional Women. Jury had Indicted Edwar Sinek . for five counts of petit larceny and getting involved in the string of one count -of itrandlaraenv;: third. fiuHdta8lBJu.>->.'^- v »i'''- l '^«'-' < '- : '* t '\ ;i ~*~'' A '' WINNING CARRIER - Jo Ana French, Rt. 1, Potsdam, daughter of Keren French, WM the winner of the November Courier and Freeman In The Courier a Arts Page7,8 DChurch Page 10 DClassifieds Page 21-23 D Editorials Page 4 D Events Page 2,3 OLetters Page 4 D Local News .... Pages 1,5,13 SSKW^-^-^tt^SiiRSt- •CfSportir.r:..;;.:. .Pages 17-19 D Weddings Page 6 1
